I remember watching Bell as a Kid.
McKay knew what he was getting.
1977: Tampa Bay: Ricky Bell (Southern Cal, RB)
Bell might not have been the No. 1 choice for most people in this draft with Heisman-winner Tony Dorsett sitting right there, but Buccaneers coach John McKay had coached Bell at USC, so the selection itself wasn’t a surprise. Bell’s best season came in 1979 when he rushed for 1,263 yards and helped Tampa Bay win the NFC Central Division. He also rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns in the franchise’s first playoff win. Sadly a heart condition ended his career early in 1982 and in 1984 Bell passed away of heart failure caused by dermatomyositis. He was just 29 years old.
He left us far too early...